Massachusetts and Rhode Island

The rain continued as we made our way to Boston.  Or not really Boston, as we found out once we arrived at Normandy Farms.  There are no RV parks close to Boston, so we had to settle for one that the navigation system said was forty-five minutes away.  Maybe it would take forty-five minutes if you drove in the middle of the night, and if you had an open parking spot once you got to Boston.  But for us the journey ended up taking much longer.

Partly due to the Massachusetts drivers, known locally as Massholes.  Most of the drivers had a phone to their ear, many while using the right emergency shoulder of the freeway as an exit lane.  Apparently that is a sanctioned traffic easing strategy near Boston during rush hour: turning the shoulder into a lane.  I'm sorry, but those two things are not one and the same, even during extenuating situations like daily rush hour traffic.

Really it was my fault that we were driving around Boston at all.  I underestimated Boston as a city, had mentally downgraded it to more of a town than a serious city.  In my imagination Boston was a wee bit smaller than San Francisco, populated mostly by university students and Irish dock workers.  There were ducklings crossing the road and some tourists slurping clam chowder, but traffic was nil and the subway was a perk more than a necessity.  At least that's how it was in the Boston I created.

But back to reality.  We arrived at the resort-style Normandy Farms Campground on a Tuesday and it was mostly empty.  The woman at the desk told us it would be full over the weekend so there were very few sites available without a reservation.  So we accepted a site way at the back, quite a distance from the two playgrounds, the indoor pool and workout facility, and the disk golf course.  It was raining anyway, so the best we did was a drive to the indoor pool and then an early bedtime.

The rain continued the next day, so we decided on an indoor activity: The Boston Children's Museum.  It was a four story warehouse of fun, and we couldn't possibly see everything in one day.  One of the neatest things was a three story netted climbing area.  There were parents at all levels, either trying to help their kids to the exit or trying to convince their kids that they needed to exit immediately.  The museum also had a bubble room, a ball rolling room, a building site area, and much more.  We spent a few hours exploring, then headed back to the car during a brief break in the rain.

We all woke up really late the next day.  It was still dark and rainy.  We had no real plans.  Then I saw on Facebook that my cousin lives outside of Boston, and she was able to meet up that evening.  We left for Somerville in the late afternoon and hit Harvard right at rush hour.  I did not realize Harvard was in Somerville, but once in the area there was no way to get around the campus.  We tried, but one-way streets would bring us back to the same main street that runs right past Harvard.  It took us half an hour to traverse a two mile stretch that was crawling with young Ivy Leaguers.

We were rather late meeting up with Carina and her boyfriend, Joshua.  Thankfully they had scored us a booth at Flatbread Company, a pizza joint and candlepin bowling alley.  The pizza was scrumptious with farm fresh toppings and a chewy thin crust.  Flatbread also had a full bar and good beer selection.   It was really nice to catch up with Carina and chat about family.

This was my first exposure to candlepin bowling, a game that is popular in eastern Canada and the Northeast.  I grew up with duckpin bowling, a game more similar to candlepin than ten pin.  Both duckpin and candlepin bowling involves a smallish ball without finger holes that weighs about two and a half pounds.  Candlepins are tapered at both ends and more difficult to knock down than the ten pin variety.  Thus you get three balls per frame, or box as it's called in candlepin.  During dinner Lukas was very distracted by the promise of bowling, but we were unaware of protocol and failed to put our name on the list in time.  In lieu of a game, Carina asked some bowlers if Lukas could bowl a box.  They obliged and Lukas happily threw a few balls down the lane, even managing to knock over a few pins.

Any leftover whining was squelched with an ice cream cone from JP Lick's across the street.  We ate ice cream out on Davis Square and watched students walking to one of the many bars or sitting on benches enjoying the night.  I could see the appeal of the area, especially if one was not silly enough to drive there.

By Friday the rain had finally cleared.  We decided to try the T, Boston's subway, instead of driving.  It still took an hour and a half to get to Boston from the RV park, but at least we weren't stuck in traffic most of the time.  Our first destination was the Public Garden, home to the famous Mr and Mrs Mallard of "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey.  We rode on a swan boat and saw the island where the Mallard family lived.  It still looks exactly like it did in the book's illustrations.  The swan boats are pedaled by the operator which makes for a smooth and serene ride.

After the boat ride we planned to walk up to the North End for some past and cannolis.  At first we were following the Freedom Trail, a pedestrian path that links sixteen historical markers in the downtown Boston area.  We saw the Boston Common and the State House, but then we were getting kind of lost and really hungry.  We abandoned the North End idea and instead wandered into the Union Oyster House.

We happened upon quite a landmark.  The Union Oyster House is billed as America's Oldest Restaurant.  The building is over 250 years old and has been serving oysters since 1826.  I had a Sam Adams Oyster House brew while taking in the history.  The booths and bar were made of thick slabs of wood, and old photographs of the area lined the walls.  There was a large tank of lobsters next to the bar.  Our waitress was friendly and prompt.  She gave Lukas a booklet about the Union House to color, and put his milk in a special seafood themed holographic cup.  We were sold at the cornbread and butter, so went full claws with lobster raviolis for Brian and a lobster newburg for me.  Brian also had an excellent cup of clam chowder.  Two beers and lots of lobster later, we rolled out to the T station.  That was enough Boston excitement for us.  It was back to the RV park to consider our next destination.

When we returned to Normandy Farms it was a changed place.  It was Friday night and the RVs kept rolling in, bringing family after family.  It was then that the full strength of Massachusetts culture hit me.  The talk was loud, the accents were thick, and the Red Sox pride was intense.  Most folks seemed to be from an hour or so away.  Many of them had come all the way from Boston.  Once again I kicked myself for thinking this RV park was near the city.

Like true New Englanders, we had weekend plans at the Cape.  My vision of Cape Cod (having visited there only once when I was too young to remember) was one of wealthy city folks getting away for some peace and quiet at their vacation home.  Solitary figures stood on rocky shores being whipped by the wind.  Or children played in the sand under the nanny's watch while mom sunbathed and dad worked.  I needed to see for myself what Cape Cod was really about.

We checked in at a Falmouth RV park that looked much like any other park we've stayed at, though the lake was natural rather than man made.  It was a sunny afternoon and a good day for a beach excursion.  Water was on all sides, so we didn't really pick a destination.  Instead we drove around until a street led to the ocean.  This beach was covered in cobblestone size rocks and mussels, but there was a sandy spit and some large tide pools.  The water was crystal clear and not too cold.

It was early September, and it wouldn't be long before the weather turned.  We enjoyed the early fall evening by getting out the grill.  Brian got busy marinating and grilling his first flank steak.  I opened up a nice Merlot bought earlier at the corner store.  It seemed an appropriately extravagant meal for the Cape, and it was mighty tasty, too!

On Sunday we dropped Brian off at the golf course then headed for another beach.  My grandparents had spent summers in the Cape and my mother remember Silver Beach being sandy rather than rocky.  I drove by Silver Beach only to find that they were charging twenty dollars for parking.  That seemed over the top expensive, so I drove down the way and eventually stumbled upon a free sandy beach. Upon further research I think it was Chapoquoit Beach, which was another spot visited by my mother's family back in the sixties.  It is also known as one of the best beaches on the Cape, so I got lucky.  The sand was soft and the water was clear.  After lots of fun in the sun and a brief dip in the ocean, we crossed the street to explore the wetlands.  We snuck up on fiddler crabs and played with snails until it was time to for a snack.

We drove through Falmouth to Woods Hole, a town on the south-east corner of Cape Cod.  The main drag is two blocks long and includes a pie place, a couple good restaurants, and a smattering of galleries.  Woods Hole is best known for its environmental research facilities.  My father often had work trips to Woods Hole, so I was curious to check it out.  He had also recommended the pie, and everyone knows I will go far for a good slice of pie.  Unfortunately they were out of the blueberry, so I can't give an accurate assessment of their pie making skills.  But I did like the Woods Hole vibe and would definitely visit again.

On Monday we took a ferry to Martha's Vineyard because we had to see where presidents and celebrities spend their vacations.  We were greeted by the Painted Ladies, Victorian era houses in beautiful condition.  We only had a few hours on the island, so first we stopped at a pub and sushi house for some excellent clams and sushi.  The blueberry beer, complete with actual blueberries, was not as good.  Then to the beach, where Lukas ran around in his undies being rather scandalous.  Another week on the island would have been nice, but soon we were back to the ferry.  The take home impression of the island was of an old money club, where no one needs to flaunt their wealth but will get their spoils just the same.  It was an upscale fisherman's wharf, without the tacky tourist shops and human robots.  There were beaches and ferries and not too many cars and plenty of restaurants and bars.  I'm glad we made the journey.

On the Ferry

Painted Lady, Martha's Vineyard

The next day we packed up camp and headed for the smallest state in the country, Rhode Island.  As planning luck would have it we booked a place in Newport.  Apparently Newport is a big deal, which I learned upon arrival.  Newport is home to many spectacular mansions, some of them open for tours.  Above Easton Beach there is a three mile cliff walk overlooking the Atlantic which happens to cut through the back yards of some of these mansions.  Newport also has an Ocean Drive, similar to Monterey's Seventeen Mile Drive, along which one can view rocky shores and more mansions.

Atlantic shore of Newport, RI

Oceanfront mansion

Private boat parking for the mansion next door

After a day of mansion sight seeing, we traveled up to Providence to visit the Roger Williams Park Zoo.  A friend and former colleague is a keeper there so we got a sneak peek at some of the animals.  Lukas got to meet tree kangaroos, anteaters, binturongs, and see the headquarters of the American Burying Beetle Recovery project.  On our way out the African spurred tortoises were busy fighting, then mounting noisily, only for the aggressor to chase once again then mount a different tortoise.  We had to tear Lukas away from all the excitement.  Thanks for a wonderful visit, Briana!

American Burying Beetles

Other Newport highlights: fried clams from Flo's Clam Shack.  Driving around the harbor area, which reminded me of SF's marina district.  Taking a run through neighborhoods with nice houses and huge lawns.  We also enjoyed watching squirrels eat walnuts from the tree outside our RV.

RV PARK REVIEWS


Normandy Farms Campground, Foxborough, MA: A-
  Huge campground, two fun playgrounds, indoor and outdoor pool, fitness room, disk golf course.  We had a spot at the back near construction.


Cape Cod Camp Resorts, East Falmouth, MA: A-
  Woodsy, natural lake, playground, two pools.  Nice spot up front with lots of room to play.


Paradise Park, Middletown, RI: B
  Great location close to mansions and beaches.  Small grassy lot with no amenities, not even bathrooms.  Nice owner.  Pricey.  Would stay here again.

The Upstates of OH, PA and NY

We snuck out Detroit's back door and circled east around Lake Erie.  The first night we stopped at a KOA outside of Cleveland.  It was a long drive to town and we were not super motivated to explore Cleveland, so instead we had a mellow night of grocery shopping and laundry.

The next day we drove to a park in Pennsylvania that overlooked Lake Erie.  We were the only lake front overnighters, so we had the premium views to ourselves.  The shore was very rocky and at first I couldn't tell if the owners had dumped filler there to keep the beach from eroding.  But as I looked around I realized that the walls were layered and crumbling into thin pieces which were then rounded by the surf.  On one side of the beach there were slats of stone jutting out into the water.  There was also tons of driftwood, so we collected up a bunch for an evening fire.

It was a gorgeous sunset, but instead of dipping into the lake, the sun was lost behind a thick wall of clouds close to the horizon.  Around one in the morning the storm started.  The lightning was frequent and fierce, and one cracked far too close to the RV.  I couldn't help thinking that we were out in the middle of a field on the edge of the lake and definitely the tallest thing around.  The rain pounded for hours.  I was sure we would wake up amongst massive flooding and be unable to pull the RV out of the mud.  The thunder and rain finally subsided around eight am.  Miraculously we were not struck by lightning, nor stranded in the mud.  In fact, you could hardly tell it had stormed.  There were a few puddles but that was it.  The day was clear and beautiful as we left Pennsylvania and headed for New York.

It was Labor Day weekend and we were foolishly driving to Niagara Falls.  The nicer RV parks were all booked up, so we ended up at a not-so-nice KOA filled with lots of nice people.  There may have been other options in Canada, but again that pesky expired passport prevented us from going there. 

Canada, as seen through the mist

We visited the Falls the Friday before the long weekend, thus beating the crowds.  I was paranoid nonetheless and dragged Brian and Lukas out early and straight to the Maid of the Mist boat in order to avoid possible lines.  Numerous people had suggested we take the boat ride to the base of the falls so I was expecting quite a show.  At first the views were great, then the "mist" arrived and I couldn't really see anything anymore.  It was a thrilling ride, to be sure, but someone could have been spraying me with a garden hose and I wouldn't have noticed the difference.  The camera got wet and that was the end of pictures for a while.  Thankfully it was a hot day and a good soaking felt nice.

Lukas refused his own poncho, but when the spray came in earnest he hopped under dad's.

Romance at the Falls

Boat ride accomplished, we were hungry.  So we hopped on the trolley (at Lukas's request) and made for the Top of the Falls, a restaurant in the state park that has spectacular views.  It was only after lunch that I truly got a sense of the Falls.  On one side is a giant river with clear blue-green water, the color caused by dissolved minerals.  All of the water from the Great Lakes passes through the Niagara River, minus the bit diverted for hydropower, then drains into Lake Ontario.  Staring at the surging river bed, I could imagine being one with the water, traveling along the set path then suddenly encountering a cliff!  The water has no choice but to tumble down a hundred fifty feet and crash onto the boulders at the bottom before continuing on its river way.  I could vaguely sense the river's dismay as it was hurled through the air, stomach in its watery mouth, wondering when it would finally reach the bottom.  Staring at the lip of the waterfall I was transfixed, and had to be torn away from my musings by a family ready to head home.

On our final day in the Niagara area, Brian went golfing while I took Lukas to a couple parks downstream from the Falls.  Whirpool State Park and Devil's Hole State Park were both gorge overlooks with steep paths down to the river.  We had already seen a lot of rushing water the day before, so we took a peek then went on our way.  Back at the park they had a tie dye craft going on, so Lukas made a purple and green swirly shirt.  The rest of the afternoon was spent playing basketball, going swimming, and playing basketball again.  I was getting pretty tired of playing basketball.

There seemed to be a large Indian population in Niagara Falls, which got me thinking about curries.  On Saturday night we found a block off the strip that had, literally, five Indian restaurants in a row.  I picked one that got good reviews and then we stuffed ourselves silly.  The waitress was pleased when I went back to the buffet for seconds on dessert, so she warmed up my gulab jamun and covered it with kheer.  Excellent!  I had so missed the spoils of diversity as we crossed the US.  

Labor Day Sunday the rain started.  We drove out at the same time as many of our neighbors and went East on I-90.  Toll roads in New York are seriously pricey!  It was almost thirty bucks for us to drive on their stupid road to Syracuse.  We were tired of kampgrounds after Niagara so we chose a state park for the evening.

Green Lakes State Park was packed.  I'm not sure if the tenters or the RVers were worse.  The tenters were setting up outdoor living rooms and were much louder at night, while the RVers were running their generators during the day and messing up the woodsy feel with all that metal and fiberglass.  It was actually a great park, just overrun for the weekend.  The main attraction is the lakes, which are in fact green.  They are glacial lakes that are more deep than wide.  The lakes are meromictic, which means the upper and lower level do not mix.  Thus there may be ancient life forms near the bottom of the lake, one hundred and eighty feet down!  It was pouring when I visited the lake so didn't get any pictures.

The next day we drove through the rain, in Labor Day traffic, from Syracuse to Albany.  We passed Schenectady, which had been badly damaged by floods from Hurricane Irene.  Then we got stuck in traffic caused by two trailers colliding.  During a short break in the rain we hooked up the RV.  It was a good night to stay in.

However, I wanted to go out!  The wonders of Facebook had alerted me to the presence of friends in the Syracuse and Albany areas.  In Syracuse we had met up with Emily, a former roommate from SF who just started a journalism Master's.  And in Albany I had dinner with Ken, a friend from junior high and high school.  The rain was steady but the Mini Cooper guided me home to my sleepy motorhome family in the woods.

RV PARK REVIEWS

Cleveland/Streetsboro KOA, Streetsboro, OH: A-

  Swimming lake, grassy, large shade trees, nicely maintained.  Points subtracted for the ten year old girl working the front desk.  I was impressed with her training, but felt uncomfortable that such a young'un was swiping my credit card.  She later drove a golf cart off the edge of a parking pad.  Sweet girl, just too young to be a regular employee.

Virginia's Beach Campground, North Springfield, PA: A

  Lake access, great view, grassy spots, playground, boats for rent.

Niagara Falls North/Lewiston KOA, Youngstown, NY: C-

  Tight spots and very crowded, practically on top of the neighbors.  Movie night (technical difficulties), tie dye activity, pancake breakfast, kiddie sized basketball hoops, pool, giant chess board.

Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville, NY: A

  Crowded holiday weekend.  Site impossible to level, but we didn't have a reservation and had to take what they had left.  Lots of unsupervised kids at the playground.  Beautiful lakes, nice park.

Woodland Hills Campground, Austerlitz, NY: B

  Swimming lake, game room, muddy site, out in the woods.

Michigan

Note:  I am dispensing with the week count because it's just gotten confusing.  The count was how many weeks I had been off work, but at this point who really cares?  I'll be back at San Francisco Zoo next January after a hiatus of over ten months.  Our total RV time is estimated to be almost eight months.

--------

Michigan!  The state where I was born.  From zero to four my family lived in Lansing, and my memories revolve around playing in the yard with friends, a pet cat named Fluffy, and growing rhubarb.  Rumor has it that my parents moved me to Maryland when the accent started kicking in, but I never lost the Michigan way of saying "melk" instead of "milk."  Thirty years later, I was looking forward to a grand tour of the mitten state.

Michigan was not on our original itinerary.  We received an unexpected invitation from a Santa Cruz friend whose family has a cottage on Higgins Lake in Michigan.  It sort of fit in with our plans, if we didn't mind taking a thousand mile detour and delaying our New York City visit for a month.  But hey, life is as flexible as it's going to get right now and it would be a shame to pass up such a nice offer.  And so we missed out on the earthquake in Virginia (original plans would have us in Maryland at the time) and the hurricane across the East (would have been in New York City).  Instead we enjoyed perfect weather in Michigan and thought about what a great choice we had made.

The Michigan tour took us up the west coast of the state which borders on Lake Michigan, to the mid-north on Traverse Bay, south to Higgins Lake which is in the middle of the state, then east to Detroit on Lake St. Clair, and finally south east around Lake Erie.  We would have cut through Canada if I had a valid passport and our tow car had a supplementary brake system as required by Canadian towing standards.  We may not have stepped onto Canadian soil, but we saw buildings on the horizon and quite a few Canadian geese.  That will have to do for this trip.

Our first stop was a small town in the Berry Belt of Michigan.  Michigan grows berries beautifully: blueberries and raspberries in particular.  We passed numerous pick your own lots, but in the grocery stores all the berries were from California.  Makes no sense.  

Anyway, we found a little campground in the town of Covert with a sandy beach on Lake Michigan.  It was strange because I knew we were close to a huge body of water, but my senses were not telling me so.  Where was the salt smell on the breeze?  The salt tolerant plants?  The gulls?  Instead you round the corner and there is a giant lake with waves, right next to a beach with large trees anchoring the sand.  Lukas loved swimming in the waves without getting salt in his eyes.  I wasn't worried about sharks sneaking up on us or riptides carrying us away.  It was really very pleasant.

Until that evening, when we noticed little bumps all over Lukas's body.  We did some research and learned about swimmer's itch, a parasite that reproduces in a freshwater snail host.  The parasite likes to live in waterfowl, but if it lands on you then it will dig into your skin and die there.  About thirty percent of people exposed to the parasite will have an allergic reaction akin to mosquito bites.  The rest will have no reaction at all.  For those who are allergic, the reaction may get worse with each exposure.  The kicker was that much of the research had been conducted in Higgins Lake, just the place we were heading in a few days.  We decided not to worry about it for the time being.

It took longer than expected to drive up the west coast of Michigan, and was less scenic than we had hoped.  We made a stop at a nice RV park off the freeway just to take a driving break.  The next day we made it to Traverse Bay, a touristy area with wineries, golf courses, and miles of shore along the turquoise blue Bay.

Our RV park accepted motorhomes that were at least 10 years old or newer and many of the lots were sold to permanent residents.  The place was immaculate and staff was constantly cleaning up or trimming foliage.  The park had a separate area for the big forty foot Class A motorhomes, while we were placed in the Class C ghetto (which was also very nice).  There was a Class A exhibition when we arrived, along with a free bratwurst lunch, so of course we stopped by.  These rigs were set up really posh, with mirrors on the ceiling, bidets, and two bathrooms - one with a gold leaf sink.  The price went up to 1.75 million for a 2012 model.  Personally, I thought they were really gaudy and would never want to live in one.  But I could see the convenience of an IPod application that allows you to operate the slides, awnings, leveling, and holding tank rinse.  In any case it was fun to check out these million dollar RVs, especially on a full stomach.

That afternoon we explored the Old Mission Peninsula which juts out into Traverse Bay.  It hosts quite a few wineries as well as a lighthouse and beach area.  The end of the peninsula was interesting because the sandbar continues underwater for quite a ways.  One could wade out at least 150 feet and still be in less than a foot of water.  We stopped by the Chateau Chantal winery, which is situated on a hill and has a dual Bay view of the east and west.  Michigan wineries are celebrated for their Rieslings, so that's what I tried.  I found it too sweet to choke down, but I'm a stuck up California wine snob so pay no attention to my review.

Tip of the Old Mission Peninsula

The next day Brian hit up a golf course and I dragged Lukas to the Sleeping Bear Dunes.  The dunes rise 450 feet above the Lake Michigan shoreline and are created by the winds off the lake.  It ended up being a very foggy day which made many of the vista points a lot less interesting.  First things first, we went to the area where you can climb up the dunes.  Lukas climbed up the hundred foot dune at least three times, then ran all the way down.  After he was sufficiently tired out, I took him on the scenic drive to the aforementioned vista points.  The picture below gives you an idea of what we saw.

We also had a couple restaurant meals in Traverse Bay, one very tasty, one not so tasty but with a great view.  First I must mention that Traverse Bay is the cherry capital of the United States.  So it is not a surprise to most of you that one of the first things I did while there was get a slice of cherry pie from the Traverse Pie Company.  That night we went to Pearl's New Orleans Kitchen where I washed down some excellent vittles with a cherry margarita.  The next night we supped at Apache Trout Grill right on the Bay.  I ordered a whitefish (the Lake Michigan special) encrusted with pecans and topped with cherries.  Our food did not live up to the rave reviews.  But at least the view was good.  And after dinner we had a lovely time at a nearby lakeside park.

The next day we had a short drive to Higgins Lake, where we would meet up with Brad and his family.  Brad's great-grandfather built a cottage in 1913 on the shores of Higgins Lake, property which was incorporated into the Pinewoods Association.  The woods are untouched, the cottage is simple, and everything you lay eyes on is dripping with memories and love.  There is a central dining hall where everyone in the Association goes for meals.  The bell is rung fifteen minutes prior to serving, so if you are out on the lake you know it is time to come in.  The family owns a sunfish sailboat, a small catamaran, a canoe and a kayak, and shares a covered motorboat with the neighbors.  Most of the Association families have known each other for generations and it feels like one large extended family.  It is a summer camp for all ages, and we were welcomed with open arms.

Brad and Diana have a girl just about Lukas's age, and they had a great time alternately playing together and fighting over toys.  And what toys there were!  Vintage trucks from the seventies, buckets and nets galore, not to mention the bikes and boat rides.  Diana had found some Snail Itch goo that keeps the parasites away, so we lubed up with that stuff anytime we went into the water.  No bites for Lukas!

Olive and her Ema

It was a magical place and a wonderful time.  Some of the highlights for me were the sailboat ride on the catamaran, watching the sun set from a canoe, stargazing after a giant bonfire, and a motorboat ride to find the spring that feeds Higgins Lake.  It was really hard to leave, but summer doesn't last forever.  Thanks to Brad, Diana, Olive, and the rest of the family for sharing your amazing Higgins Lake cottage with us!!!

Our final stop in Michigan was Detroit.  The RV was over its recommended miles for an oil change, and what better place for a tune up than the birthplace of the automobile industry?  While our house was at the shop, we checked out the Ford museum.  The collection pretty well covered the transition from life in the seventeenth century through the industrial revolution to today.  They had tractors, steam engines, trains, airplanes, and automobiles.  Unfortunately the auto section was being renovated so there were only a few cars to be seen.  I found the most interesting displays to be the president's cars, including the limo in which Reagan was shot, and the bus where Rosa Parks refused to get up.

The area near Ford headquarters is quite nice, but after lunch we took a drive through downtown Detroit.  I had heard an urban myth that kids in Detroit set buildings on fire for fun on a Friday night.  Looking around, it seems that might be true.  It is hard to convey the ubiquitousness of burned buildings within Detroit in just a few pictures.  So many beautiful old buildings in ruins.  The mood was gloomy and hopeless.  For a pick-me-up we tried some Faygo, Detroit's pop of choice, and went to retrieve our Ford motorhome from the shop.

RV PARK REVIEWS

Covert Beach and Campground, Covert, MI: B-

  Short trail to beach, woodsy, dusty, no sewer connection.

Poncho's Pond RV Park, Luddington, MI: A
  Well kept grounds, nice playground, adult and kiddie pools, level cement lots.

Traverse Bay RV Resort, Traverse, MI: A
  Fancypants, lots for sale, good location, lounge, pool, laundry, rec rooms, woods trail.

Pinewoods Association, Higgins Lake, MI: A+
  Lake access, friendly neighbors, dining hall.

Harbertown RV Resort, Monroe, MI: B-

  Busy street, pool, mini golf, lots of unattended kids.

Raleigh, NC to Fort Wayne, IN - Week 25

From the NC shore, we sped north toward Raleigh where we had dinner plans at my friend Carrie's place.  Her friend Ben was visiting from France and they had prepared an amazing seven course meal for us from supplies bought at the farmer's market.  Home-made grilled jalapeno poppers, cucumber salad, caprese salad, potato salad, grilled stuffed bell peppers, and grilled margarita chicken, followed up with a homemade peach and blueberry pie.  What an amazing spread!  Carrie even sent the leftovers home with us, plus some excess fresh produce.  Holy moly we were spoiled.

Luckily we had another day with Carrie.  It was Ben's birthday and they had morning kayaking plans.  But Carrie had recommended a a place called Poole's in downtown Raleigh for brunch.  We got there at 11 am when it opened and there was already a huge line.  We barely got seated in the first rush, then proceeded to have the best restaurant meal since leaving San Francisco.  Brian had huevos rancheros, I had eggs benedict and Lukas had a blueberry hotcake.  Each dish was topped with a sauce that really made the dish stand out.  Fresh squeezed orange juice, great coffee, speedy and friendly servers.  Our Poole's experience certainly backed up Carrie's statement that Raleigh is in the midst of a foodie revolution.

After brunch, Brian went golfing with birthday boy Ben while Carrie and I took Lukas to a train show at the fairgrounds.  That took about an hour, then we just toodled the rest of the afternoon away.  With the most special of friends it really doesn't matter what you're doing but you have a great time doing it together.  When the boys returned from golfing we had a little party with champagne, cake and ice cream.  The sun was dropping but we decided to take a dip in the neighborhood pool anyway.  Finally we left the duo to dinner plans and returned to the RV to eat our yummy leftovers.  Thanks for a wonderful weekend, Carrie!

The next day we began our Michigan journey in earnest.  That night we stayed in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  The weather was beginning to cool down.  After two months of heat we had just put away our pants and jackets, only to need them again!  As San Franciscans we had forgotten about seasons.  It was mid-August and the nation-wide heat wave was breaking.

I grew up near Virginia, but never ventured to this part of Virginia.  This was the backcountry, where the  mountain folk reside.  Our campground had a Cowboy Church where anyone was welcome.  It was an open barn with a rudimentary wooden cross that had a cowboy hat resting on the base.  The walls were decorated with vintage toys and Coca Cola signs.  We weren't there for a Sunday but certainly enjoyed taking refuge from the rain in this most basic of cathedrals.  

Tuesday night we stayed just outside of Charleston, West Virginia.  This campground had by far the most interesting name and city of all the places we've been: The Rippling Waters Church of God Campground in Romance.  It seemed like many other campgrounds we've stayed at, except for the chapel and the rules against public smoking, drinking, or use of foul language.

We got in fairly early so decided to go explore Charleston.  When looking for a grocery store I found the Capitol Market, which is much like a smaller version of the ferry building.  Despite having just bought groceries, we didn't feel like cooking, so instead went to the Bluegrass Kitchen.  From the outside the place looked like a bust, but inside they had fresh and local fish and boasted of their organic ingredients and sustainably farmed produce.  Lukas was very well behaved considering, and we had a good time with the guys across the way who were on a business trip from Virginia.  They were experimenting with beer and shots of Frambois, a thick and sweet raspberry ale.  The final verdict: drop a shot glass full of Frambois into your Hoegarden and it will be delicious.

Overall, a fun time out in West Virginia.  We did not see any brother-sister pairs making out or barefoot teenagers missing several teeth.  Somehow West Virginia gets a bad rap.  However, our waitress was from Portland and she did allude to the fact that it's been a difficult transition for her and her girlfriend.  We may have stumbled upon a couple of the best places in the state.  Anyway, we didn't stick around long enough to find out.  Next stop was Ohio!

We tried to find somewhere to stay in Columbus, but instead ended up way out in cornfield and tobacco country.  It was a fun campground with lots of activities to keep Lukas busy.  The drive to Columbus Zoo was very pretty.  Cornfields gave way to a river, then suddenly there was the Zoo.  Columbus Zoo has long been associated with Jack Hanna, which adds publicity and funding to the venture.   A few years ago Columbus Zoo opened a water park and amusement park adjacent to the animal area.  They also own Safari Golf, a golf course across the street from the Zoo.  I have to admit that I was a little turned off by the dual entrance to the water park and the Zoo, but once in the Zoo the hectic feel of an amusement park dissipated and it felt more like a Zoo visit.

Columbus Zoo houses quite a few gorillas, and many of them are related to the gorillas at San Francisco.  Zura and OJ were born at Columbus during the era when keepers pulled gorilla babies from their mothers and hand raised them to increase survival odds.  Over the years we have learned that hand raised gorillas do not always learn appropriate gorilla behaviors and the current philosophy is to allow a surrogate gorilla mother, or in some cases father, to raise a gorilla infant that is not being properly cared for by its mother.  Columbus Zoo has pioneered the Birth Management and Surrogate Introduction programs and have done numerous surrogate introductions themselves.  When San Francisco Zoo found themselves in the position of having to hand rear a gorilla infant, it was Columbus Zoo who really came to our aide.  Maureen and Barb flew out to get our program started, then returned to make sure all was progressing on course.  They were tremendously helpful, infinitely patient, and just plain nice.

I was hoping to see Maureen or Barb during the visit, but was super last minute about contacting the Zoo.  Instead I planned to visit the gorilla keeper talk and bug them for more information on the relatives of the SF group.  Lo and behold, as I entered the indoor gorilla viewing, who should I see but Maureen!  As always she was so nice and proceeded to spend the next couple hours with me, giving me backstories on each of the gorillas and introducing every keeper we ran into.  It was a real treat to finally meet Colo, the first gorilla born in captivity, and the grandmother of Zura and OJ.  Colo is 54 years old but she looks great and is the spitting image of Zura.  Zura's mother, Toni, was waving her hands near her mouth just as Zura does.  Apparently none of the other gorillas at Columbus has that behavior.  I also met Mac, OJ's brother, whose face is vaguely similar and the mannerisms are spot on like OJ's.  Mac took a liking to me and followed me around the yard, just as OJ will often do with a young(ish) female observer.  Maureen also made sure I visited the bonobos and the manatees.  All the exhibits were well done and it was a very satisfying zoo visit.

Colo, Zura and OJ's grandmother

Toni, Zura's mother, tapping her mouth

Mac, OJ's brother

Gorilla hunt accomplished, the next day I decided to search for the Amish.  The area around Millersburg, Ohio is said to have the largest population of Amish in the US.  My curiosity was piqued, despite the two hour drive.  Brian was out golfing so it was only Lukas I needed to convince that this was a worthwhile journey, and he doesn't have too much say in such matters so it was an easy sell.  I figured there would be plenty of Amish sightings along the way to the epicenter of the community and we would not need to drive the full distance.

Well, I was wrong.  After two hours of driving along country roads we finally made it to the Amish Flea Market.  This had been much hyped on the internets as being a very special market.  There was a horse and carriage parked out front so that boded well.  However, inside it was a bunch of junk in a warehouse.  We left disappointed and I was feeling pretty dumb for driving so far.  I had seen a cheese factory a few miles back so decided we would stop there for a snack.

The Guissberg Cheese Factory was closed that week, but I was able to buy some of their famed Swiss cheese and ended up talking to an Amish woman selling baskets across the street.  We talked about the weather and their horses and how all children are interested in the horses and buggies.  Lukas watched a horse getting hitched to a carriage and didn't seem to notice that all the women wore bonnets and the men wore hats.

Just past the Cheese Factory was Herschberger Farms, and this is where the real fun happened.  It was an Amish owned farm with carriage rides, giant draft horses, and lots of baby animals to feed.  In the adjacent building there was produce and baked goods for sale, as well as a little cafe.  We played with the animals for quite a while, had some lunch during a brief rain shower, then watched kettle corn being made over a fire.  It ended up being a great day, made even better by Lukas sleeping the whole two hour drive back home.

Big Ben, the Belgian Draft Horse, would kick his metal sign whenever someone bought animal feed from the table right in front of him.  Of course he got a whole food cone from us.

A "Zorse", yup, the offspring of a zebra and a horse

The evening didn't end there.  We went swimming, then picked up Brian after his 36 holes of golf.  Since it was Friday, the RV park was making pizzas, hosting a hay ride, and showing "The Great Outdoors" on the big screen.  It was a full day and we all slept well that night.

It was time to leave Ohio and make the next move toward Michigan.  Our travels would take us through Fort Wayne, Indiana, so we decided to stay the night.  We took a brief car trip downtown and were surprised to find a rock festival in full swing.  There were more alternative types than I would have expected from Indiana, but I didn't know much about Indiana and still don't.  Brian went out later and chatted it up with some locals and had a good time.  Overall the town seemed interesting, like I could have spent a couple more days there, but I wouldn't really fly in just to check it out.  We were eager to move on to the Great Lakes, so move we did.

RV PARK REVIEWS

North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, NC: B-

  Lot behind fairgrounds, grassy, close to town, quiet most of the time.  Lukas loved the morning construction crew that was building a road behind the RV park.

Deer Trail Park Campground, Wytheville, VA: B
  Woodsy setting, small creek, scummy fishing pond, pool with slide, playground, Cowboy Church, friendly kids on bicycles, apple trees, horses living next door, a little dusty.

Rippling Waters Church of God Campground, Romance, WV: B
  Clean, well maintained, two ponds, pool, zipline, chapel, no ungodly behavior allowed.

Autumn Lakes Campground, Sunbury, OH: B
  Rural setting next to cornfield with "Back Forty" woodsy area, petting zoo with donkey and two goats, pool and splash pad, two playgrounds, store, pizza on Friday nights, weekend activities, no sewer hookup, some trash on ground.


Johnny Appleseed Campground, Fort Wayne, IN: B-
  City run campground, very friendly host, laundry, next to river, playground.